Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education — REET Mains Notes

The importance of ICT in education

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is used in education to make learning more accessible, engaging and suited to individual needs. The Government of India framed its first national ICT-in-school-education policy in 2004, revised in 2012 — the goal being to ensure digital-resource access for both students and teachers, and to build teachers' capacity to use technology.

Over time, the emphasis moved beyond physical infrastructure like smart classrooms and computer labs, toward national digital platforms, where curriculum-based content, teacher-training modules and assessment tools are all made available online in one place — so quality material can reach schools even in remote areas. For REET Mains, a future teacher needs to clearly understand the difference in names and purposes among these platforms. Knowing which platform serves teachers, which serves students, and which serves both is what REET Mains questions on this topic usually test.

Key national digital education platforms

ICT-related initiatives in Rajasthan

Shala Darpan portal

A major digital portal for Rajasthan, through which school information, staff details, enrolment and processes like RTE admission are managed online.

Smart classroom expansion

Using both Samagra Shiksha and the state's own resources, projector/digital-board-based smart classrooms are being set up in select government schools.

Online teacher training

Since the COVID period, part of teachers' in-service training is also being delivered through DIKSHA and other online platforms.

Digital content and e-content

State-level curriculum-aligned digital content prepared by SIERT/RSCERT is delivered to schools through various online channels.

Challenges in using ICT

The biggest challenge in bringing ICT to the classroom is the Digital Divide — the availability of electricity, internet connectivity and devices remains limited in rural and remote areas compared to urban areas. Beyond this, uneven digital literacy among teachers means platforms aren't fully utilised, requiring continuous training.

Keeping these challenges in mind, initiatives like PM eVIDYA deliberately adopted a multi-mode strategy — that is, where internet isn't available, content is also delivered through DTH TV channels and radio, so a lack of technology doesn't become a barrier to any child's education. This approach shows that the goal of ICT policy isn't to impose technology, but to choose the most suitable medium for a student's actual circumstances.

How ICT has changed the teacher's role

The growing use of ICT has shifted the teacher's role from being an 'information giver' to a 'learning facilitator,' since a lot of information is now available to children directly on digital platforms too. In this scenario, a teacher's job isn't just to state facts, but also to teach how to find, understand and use reliable digital content correctly.

Alongside this, assessment methods have also changed — quizzes and automated feedback tools available on platforms like DIKSHA help a teacher understand which children in the class are weak in which concept, making personalised attention easier to provide. In this way, technology supports the teacher's judgement rather than replacing it, by pointing out exactly where a child needs extra help.

Practical impact in the classroom/school

Practice Questions

Frequently asked questions

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